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Updated January 12, 2021
Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA)
History of FVPSA
Overview of FVPSA
Throughout much of the 20th century, domestic violence
FVPSA supports temporary shelter and services for
remained a hidden problem. Survivors (or victims) were
survivors, as well as children exposed to domestic and teen
hesitant to seek help, primarily because of fear of retaliation
dating violence. The law currently authorizes three major
by their partners and concerns about leaving their
activities: the National Domestic Violence Hotline;
communities. In the 1960s and 1970s, shelters and services
domestic violence shelters, victim services, and program
for survivors became more widely available. In 1984, the
support; and the Domestic Violence Prevention
Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a report that examined
Enhancement and Leadership Through Alliances (DELTA)
the scope and impact of domestic violence in the United
program. The U.S. Department of Health and Human
States, and recommended improvements in law
Services’ (HHS’) Family and Youth Services Bureau
enforcement and community responses to offenses that
(FYSB) administers funding for the hotline and domestic
were previously considered “family matters.” As a result of
violence shelters and services. The CDC, also within HHS,
efforts by advocates and DOJ, Congress held a series of
administers DELTA. The statute authorized funding for
hearings on domestic violence. In response, the Family
these activities through FY2015. Table 1 shows final
Violence Prevention and Services Act was enacted as Title
funding amounts for FY2017 through FY2020 (and enacted
III of the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984 (P.L. 98-457).
funding for FY2021). Funding generally increased over the
period.
FVPSA has twice been amended by the Violence Against
Women Act (VAWA), first enacted in 1994. FVPSA and
Table 1. FVPSA Final Funding, FY2017-FY2020 and
VAWA are the primary vehicles for federal support to
Enacted Funding, FY2021(Dollars in millions)
prevent and respond to domestic violence. FVPSA is
focused on prevention and services for survivors, while
FY17
FY18
FY19
FY20
FY21
VAWA’s focus is on both services for victims and the
Hotline
$8.2
$9.3
$10.3
$14.0
$13.0
criminal justice response to domestic violence, sexual
assault, stalking, and dating violence.
Shelter &
$150.5
$158.4
$163.9
$220.0
$185.5
Services
Scope of the Issue
DELTA
$5.5
$5.5
$5.5
$7.1
$5.5
FVPSA primarily addresses domestic violence and dating
violence. Both can include acts of physical, psychological,
Total
$164.2
$173.2
$180.0
$241.1
$204.0
and sexual violence as well as stalking. Domestic violence,
sometimes referred to as family violence, involves current
Source: CRS, based on correspondence with HHS, October 2020
and review of appropriation laws.
or former spouses, individuals who share children in
common, cohabiting partners, and other intimate partners.
Note: FY2020 data include supplemental appropriations (P.L. 116-
Dating violence occurs between individuals who have a
136). Due to rounding, some numbers do not add to the total.
romantic relationship, including teenagers. Studies do not
National Domestic Violence Hotline
indicate a primary reason why domestic and dating violence
Since 1996, HHS has competitively awarded a cooperative
are perpetrated, in part because of the difficulty measuring
agreement to one organization to operate the National
social conditions that can influence such violence. They do,
Domestic Violence Hotline. The agreement was most
however, identify two underlying factors: the unequal
recently awarded for a five-year period that extends through
position of women and the normalization of violence, both
the end of FY2020. FVPSA specifies that the hotline
in society and in some relationships.
provide information and assistance to adult and youth
Estimating the number of individuals involved in intimate
victims of domestic violence, family and household
partner violence is complicated by varying definitions of
members of victims, and others affected by victimization.
the term and methodologies for collecting data. A study by
This includes support concerning domestic violence, dating
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
violence, children exposed to domestic violence,
examined the prevalence of intimate partner (domestic and
intervention programs for abusive partners, and related
dating) violence in 2015. Over one-third of women and men
topics. As required under FVPSA, the national hotline
in America reported that they experienced sexual violence,
carries out multiple activities. It employs, trains, and
physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in
supervises personnel to answer incoming calls; provides
their lifetime. However, women were more likely to
counseling and referral services to victims and others; and
experience related impacts, such as having injuries and a
directly connects callers to service providers in local
need for victim services.
communities. In FY2018, the hotline received more than
23,000 calls each month and responded to 74% of all calls.
It also had an average of nearly 13,000 online chats on a
monthly basis.
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Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA)
The hotline maintains a database of domestic violence
counseling and support groups, and services for children).
service providers throughout the United States, including
Subgrantees that receive funding must provide a nonfederal
information on the availability of shelter and services.
match—of not less than $1 for every $5 of federal
Further, it provides assistance to meet the needs of certain
funding—directly from the state or through donations from
populations, including individuals with disabilities and
public or private entities. States have two years to spend
underserved groups. Since 2007, the hotline has operated
funds. States and subgrantees may not deny individuals
loveisrespect, the National Dating Abuse Hotline for youth
from participating in FVPSA-funded services on the basis
victims of dating violence. In FY2018, the loveisrespect
of disability, sex, race, color, national origin, or religion
hotline responded to nearly 2,400 calls and nearly 4,000
(this applies generally to FPVSA). States and subgrantees
chats per month. The National Hotline has also collaborated
may not impose income eligibility requirements on
with the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, a
individuals participating in these programs. Generally, the
nonprofit organization, to develop and operate the
requirements that apply to states also apply to tribes.
StrongHearts Native Helpline for Native American
State Domestic Violence Coalitions (SDVCs)
survivors of domestic abuse.
SDVCs are statewide nongovernmental, nonprofit domestic
Shelters, Services, and Program Support violence organizations whose memberships are made up of
Appropriations for shelters, victim services, and program
domestic violence service providers in the state. Each state
support provide funding for multiple activities: grants for
has one SDVC, which is designated by HHS. Funding is
states and territories, grants to Indian tribes, state domestic
divided evenly between the 56 of them. SDVCs must use
violence coalitions (SDVCs), training and technical
FVPSA funding for specific activities, such as working
assistance centers, specialized services for abused parents
with local programs to respond to domestic violence,
and their children, and administrative support provided by
providing training and technical assistance, and planning
HHS. Figure 1 shows allocations for FY2020.
and monitoring the distribution of subgrants within states.
Figure 1. FY2020 Allocations for Shelter, Services,
Training and Technical Assistance Centers
and Support (Totaling $220.0 million)
HHS administers grants for 14 training and technical
assistance centers. The purpose of these centers is to
provide information, training, and technical assistance on
domestic violence topics. This support is provided by
nonprofit organizations and other entities to survivors and
other stakeholders. The National Resource Center on
Domestic Violence and the National Indian Resource
Center Addressing Domestic Violence and Safety for
Indian Women are designated as national resource centers,
meaning they have a broader scope and more funding.
Other centers focus on selected populations (e.g., Latino
Source: CRS, based on correspondence with HHS, September 2020.
communities, Alaska Native communities), specialized
FY2020 data include supplemental CARES Act (P.L. 116-136)
issues (e.g., mental health and trauma), and other topics.
appropriations.
Services for Children
Grants to States, Territories, and Tribes
If annual appropriations for shelter and services exceed
Of the appropriations for shelter and services, no less than
$130 million, HHS must reserve a quarter of the funds that
70% must be awarded to states and territories and no less
exceed this amount for services to children exposed to
than 10% must be awarded to Indian tribes. These funds are
domestic violence. This requirement was triggered in
to be used to establish, maintain, and expand programs to
FY2010 and each of FY2014-FY2020. In recent years,
prevent and respond to domestic violence. Of the funding
HHS has directed the reserved funds to SDVCs and other
for states and territories, each territory (GU, AS, USVI,
entities to address trauma experienced by children exposed
CNMI) receives no less than one-eighth of 1% of the
to domestic violence, support enhanced relationships
appropriation, or, in combination, about one-half of 1% of
among children and their parents, and improve community
the total amount appropriated. Of the remaining funds,
responses to affected families.
states (including DC and PR) receive an allotment of
Domestic Violence Prevention (DELTA)
$600,000 and additional funding based on their relative
share of the U.S. population.
Since 1996, CDC has awarded DELTA funding to SDVCs
to coordinate local community projects to prevent domestic
States and territories (states) may use up to 5% of funding
violence. In total, 34 states have received funding under
for administrative costs. Remaining funds are dedicated to
various iterations of the program. Currently, 10 SDVCs
subgrants to eligible entities—local public agencies or non-
receive DELTA funds, and are implementing and
profit private organizations—for community-based
evaluating programs or policy efforts under three strategies
programs that meet the goals of the grant. No less than 70%
to address domestic violence prevention: (1) engaging
of subgrant funding is to be used to provide shelter and
influential adults and peers, including men and boys, as
related expenses, including the physical space in which
allies in prevention; (2) creating protective environments,
survivors reside and the expenses of running shelter
including in schools and workplaces; and (3) strengthening
facilities. No less than 25% of subgrant funding is to be
economic supports for families.
used for supportive services and prevention services (e.g.,
assisting in the development of safety plans, providing
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Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA)
Kara Clifford Billings, Analyst in Social Policy
Adrienne L. Fernandes -Alcantara, Specialist in Social
IF11170
Policy
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